E
%Start How to Do Shoulder Rolls for Stretching: Techniques, Benefits, Variations Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Flexibility
How to Do Shoulder Rolls
Proper Form, Variations, and Common Mistakes By Amanda Capritto, ACE-CPT, INHC Amanda Capritto, ACE-CPT, INHC Amanda Capritto, ACE-CPT, INHC, is an advocate for simple health and wellness. She writes about nutrition, exercise and overall well-being. Learn about our editorial process Updated on December 27, 2020 Reviewed Verywell Fit articles are reviewed by nutrition and exercise professionals.
visibility
498 views
thumb_up
46 likes
C
Reviewers confirm the content is thorough and accurate, reflecting the latest evidence-based research. Content is reviewed before publication and upon substantial updates.
thumb_up
28 likes
N
Learn more. by Tara Laferrara, CPT Reviewed by
Tara Laferrara, CPT Tara Laferrara is a certified NASM personal trainer, yoga teacher, and fitness coach.
thumb_up
22 likes
H
She also created her own online training program, the TL Method. Learn about our Review Board Print Getty Images / Koldunov Targets: Shoulders, upper back, neck Equipment Needed: None Level: Beginner Need a gentle, easy stretch to relieve pain and tension in your neck and shoulders? Try shoulder rolls, a simple stretching exercise you can implement anytime, anywhere.
thumb_up
14 likes
A
It requires no equipment and anyone can do it. How to Do the Towel Chest Stretch
Benefits There are numerous benefits to doing shoulder rolls. Relieves Neck Tension and Tightness How many times do you rub your neck each day, wishing for a massage?
thumb_up
13 likes
Z
If you’re like many people, probably several times a day. Shoulder rolls can alleviate pain and tension by encouraging the flow of nutrient- and oxygen-rich blood to tight muscles in your neck.
thumb_up
46 likes
O
Opens Chest If you’ve been feeling a bit like a hunchback lately, shoulder rolls can help you pull your shoulders back and open up your chest, bringing much-needed relief to your upper body. Loosens Shoulders and Upper Back Those who deal with tight shoulders and back muscles on a regular basis will want to add shoulder rolls to their stretching routine.
thumb_up
22 likes
M
Just a few sets of shoulder rolls will leave your shoulders and upper back feeling much better.
Helps With Posture Practicing shoulder rolls requires you to put your body in posturally correct positions, which can help you develop better posture. Shoulder rolls also loosen up tight muscles in the neck and upper back, two areas most often associated with poor posture. Great for Desk Workers All of the above benefits make shoulder rolls a great stretching exercise for people who work desk jobs, because sedentary jobs are known to contribute to poor posture and related aches and pains. 20 Great Exercises to Work Your Shoulders
Step-by-Step Instructions You can do shoulder rolls in a number of ways depending on your range of motion, flexibility, and other factors such as injuries.
thumb_up
33 likes
A
These step-by-step instructions describe shoulder rolls for people with a healthy shoulder and neck range of motion. Start by standing or sitting tall with a proud chest, neutral spine, and engaged core. Pull your shoulders back and down.
thumb_up
23 likes
O
Keep your gaze forward. To begin the shoulder roll, shrug your shoulders up toward your ears as high as you can. Do this without hunching your back, protruding your neck, or allowing your shoulders to collapse forward.Once you shrug up as high as you can go, squeeze your shoulder blades together to pull your shoulders back. Engage your mid-back to pull your shoulders down. As you reach the neutral starting position, slightly round your upper back to push your shoulders forward while maintaining a strong core. Shrug up again to start another shoulder roll. Complete 10 to 15 shoulder rolls, resting 30 seconds before going into a new set. Try for three to five sets.
thumb_up
8 likes
V
Common Mistakes While they may seem simple enough, shoulder rolls still have room for error. Learn what common mistakes to avoid to get the most of this stretch. Going Too Fast Many people rush through stretches just to get them done.
thumb_up
12 likes
M
You’ll enjoy the most benefits if you take your time and slowly, gently move through all stretches, including shoulder rolls. Stretching too quickly can cause you to overstretch and consequently strain a muscle, which is painful and might require medical care.
Unengaged Core Make it a habit to keep your core engaged for all exercises and stretches, as a tight and strong core protects your spine from injury. You can even practice engaging your core when you’re just sitting down watching TV or working.
Hunched Back Many people exhibit poor posture due to sitting too much and hunching over phones and laptops.
thumb_up
26 likes
B
Stretching can help you improve your posture—unless you perform stretches with poor posture. When doing shoulder rolls, it should be top-of-mind to maintain a tall, neutral spine without rounding your back. Protruding Neck With shoulder rolls, you’re trying to relieve tension in your neck, not add to it.
thumb_up
38 likes
S
Be careful not to stick your neck out while doing shoulder rolls, as you might wind up with more neck pain rather than less. Modifications and Variations Shoulder rolls can be performed in a bunch of different ways, from more or less challenging.
thumb_up
48 likes
L
Need a Modification Sitting Shoulder Rolls: If you can’t perform shoulder rolls while standing, you can perform them while sitting. This modification is a great option for people with limited core or leg strength, people with balance problems, or people who simply want a quick stretch to do while sitting at their desk for work.
thumb_up
31 likes
A
Half Shoulder Rolls: For those with limited range of motion in the shoulders, half shoulder rolls can still offer some neck and shoulder relief. If you can’t complete the forward motion, perform only the first half of the shoulder roll (shrug, pull your shoulders back and down, then relax and repeat). Vice versa if you can’t complete the backward motion—shrug, roll forward, relax, and repeat.
thumb_up
48 likes
S
Up for a Challenge Banded Shoulder Rolls: If you’re looking to make shoulder rolls a bit more challenging, try adding a resistance band. Keep in mind, though, that this makes shoulder rolls more like a strength exercise and less like a stretch.
thumb_up
42 likes
E
To do banded shoulder rolls, you’ll need a long looped resistance band. Loop the band under your feet and stand on it. Step into the band, place the other end over your head so it rests on your shoulders.
thumb_up
17 likes
A
Do shoulder rolls as described in the step-by-step instructions above. Try These Great Shoulder Exercises for an Increase of Flexibility
Safety and Precautions Make sure to prioritize your safety when doing shoulder rolls to minimize the risk for injury. Feel Free to Sit Down There’s no shame in sitting to do shoulder rolls (or any other stretch or movement).
thumb_up
4 likes
O
If your mobility or strength prevents you from doing shoulder rolls while standing, you can still reap the benefits of this great stretch. Just make sure to keep the other technique tips in mind, like keeping your core engaged throughout the entire movement. Don t Overdo It Though it’s just a stretch, it’s still possible to do too much.
thumb_up
33 likes
C
Don’t try to force your body into a range of motion that feels painful, and don’t overdo the rep count. Start with just a few reps and work your way up to bigger sets. Take It Slow Avoid the mistake many people make when stretching: going too fast.
thumb_up
45 likes
S
Stretching should consist of careful, articulate, smooth reps. Doing stretches too fast kind of defeats the purpose, which is to loosen your muscles and joints with gentle movement.
thumb_up
33 likes
W
If you do shoulder rolls too fast, you might strain your neck or end up with sore shoulders, so take it slow. You might find it helpful to incorporate deep breathing during shoulder rolls, as it’ll force you to focus on something slow and rhythmic.
Try It Out Incorporate this move and similar ones into one of these popular workouts: Stretching 101: Benefits and Proper Techniques
Stretching and Flexibility Exercises for Athletes
10 Best Stretches for Office Workers 1 Source Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles.
thumb_up
8 likes
J
Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Daneshmandi H, Choobineh A, Ghaem H, Karimi M. Adverse Effects of Prolonged Sitting Behavior on the General Health of Office Workers. J Lifestyle Med.
thumb_up
40 likes
A
2017;7(2):69-75. doi:10.15280/jlm.2017.7.2.69 By Amanda Capritto, ACE-CPT, INHC
Amanda Capritto, ACE-CPT, INHC, is an advocate for simple health and wellness.
thumb_up
25 likes
D
She writes about nutrition, exercise and overall well-being. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful?
thumb_up
23 likes
M
Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Related Articles How to Perform a Bicep Stretch How to Do a Reverse Fly: Techniques, Benefits, Variations How to Do a Kettlebell Swing: Techniques, Benefits, Variations How to Do the Face Pulls Exercise for Stronger Shoulders How to Stretch Your Neck and Relieve Stress How to Build Neck Strength, And Why It’s Important 8 Quick Fixes for Running Form Health and Fitness Benefits of Flexibility Training Past the Basics: Yoga Poses for Intermediate Levels How to Do a Dumbbell Overhead Press: Techniques, Benefits, Variations 4 Important Ways to Protect Your Iliotibial Band After Exercising Relieve Tension with 10 Neck and Shoulder Stretches How to do the Upper Trapezius Stretch: Techniques, Benefits, Variations How to Do the Towel Chest Stretch How to Stretch Your Supraspinatus: Techniques, Benefits, Variations 5 Resistance Band Exercises to Increase Your Upper Body Strength When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests.
thumb_up
13 likes
E
You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept All
thumb_up
44 likes
Similar Discussions
-
What happened to Laura Moberley? Elementary school teacher and her children found dead in South Carolina home
-
Sunrise Sunset APK Download for Android APKfun com
-
Fishing Rival 3D APK Download for Android
-
Rapid Induct Premium APK Download for Android
-
Exigo Mobile Backoffice APK Download for Android
-
La Nouvelle Z lande veut taxer les missions de gaz des animaux d levage Presse conomique Actualit
-
Les Tournesols de Van Gogh pourquoi des militants ont ils lanc de la soupe sur le tableau ? İnfo cologie
-
Two Raleigh police officers on administrative leave after teenage suspect allegedly kills five people
-
Yemeni government forces intercept Houthi drones attacking southern oil terminal Repı Storage Com
-
NBA commissioner says the league is monitoring tanking a serious issue
-
Legends of Runeterra Worldwalker expansion Release date new cards amp Path of Champions 2 0
-
Madden 23 How to Make a Lateral Pass The Nerd Stash
-
Fitbit Charge 5 News Price Release Date and Specs
-
How to Dual Boot Windows 8 1 and Elementary OS
-
How to Redownload Music on iTunes for Free
-
Compare Volvo XC40 B4 Plus Dark Theme vs B4 Ultimate Bright Theme CarBuzz
-
New Hybrid Lamborghini Aventador Will Have Over 1 000 HP CarBuzz
-
Update on Safe Harbor Commissioner Jourova s remarks on the state of the framework talks World Privacy Forum
-
Sensory Integration Therapy How It Works Effectiveness
-
Robert W Mutter M D Doctors and Medical Staff Mayo Clinic
-
Fetal fibronectin test Mayo Clinic
-
Craneosinostosis Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic
-
The Ketogenic Diet Made Me Thinner — But I Quit Keto Anyway Everyday Health
-
Sex Drive Why It Is Important to Overall Health Everyday Health
-
Don t interfere in our cricket and tell us what to do Sunil Gavaskar s stern warning to old powers criticizing IPL
-
Deathloop crossplay and cross platform support explained The Loadout
-
Best Black Friday PlayStation deals in 2022 The Loadout
-
Great Scott There s a Back To The Future easter egg in Gran Turismo 7 The Loadout
-
Elite Dangerous cancels Odyssey expansion and all future content on consoles
-
Windows 11 vs Windows 10 Here s what s new Tom s Guide